Chemotherapy (continued from privious page): Hair loss, another side effect of chemotherapy, is a major concern for many patients. Some chemotherapy drugs only cause the hair to thin out, while others may result in the loss of all body hair. Patients may feel better if they decide how to handle hair loss before starting treatment.
In some men and women, chemotherapy drugs cause changes that may result in a loss of fertility (the ability to have children). Loss of fertility may be temporary or permanent depending on the drugs used and the patient's age. For men, sperm banking before treatment may be a choice. Women's menstrual periods may stop, and they may have hot flashes and vaginal dryness. Periods are more likely to return in young women.
Clinical Laboratory Although no single test can be used to diagnose cancer, laboratory tests such as blood and urine tests give the physician important information. If cancer is present, lab work may show the effects of the disease on the body. In some cases, special tests are used to measure the amount of certain substances in the blood, urine, other body fluids, or tumor tissue. The levels of these substances may become abnormal when certain kinds of cancer are present.
CT Scan-Based Treatment Planning Images of areas inside the body help the doctor tell whether a tumor is present. These images can be made in several ways. In many cases, the doctor uses a special dye so that certain organs show up better on film. The dye may be swallowed or put into the body through a needle or a tube
Diagnostic Radiology The process of using ionizing and nonionizing radiation through modalities such as general radiography, nuclear medicine, radiation therapy, mammography, cardiovascular-intervention, computer tomography, magnetic resonance imaging and sonography to diagnose a patient's condition.
